Fire and smoke alarm device



May 27, 1969 J. L. JENSEN FIRE AND SMOKE ALARM DEVICE Sheet of2 Filed Aug. 30, 1965 9 JOHN 4. Jam/slew 1 WW b /r y 1969 J. L. JENSEN 3,447,152

FIRE AND SMOKE ALARM DEVICE Filed Aug. 30, 1965 United States Patent 3,447,152 FIRE AND SMOKE ALARM DEVICE John L. Jensen, Estherville, Iowa 51334 Filed Aug. 30, 1965, Ser. No. 483,711 Int. Cl. G08b 19/00 US. Cl. 340-420 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE It is a principal object of this invention to provide a combined fire and smoke alarm which is activated by the presence of smoke and/ or excessive heat.

A further object of this invention is to provide a combined fire and smoke alarm having a battery powered warning means.

-A further object of this invention is to provide a combined fire and smoke alarm having means therein for continual sampling of the air rather than random sampling.

A further object of this invention is to provide a combined fire and smoke alarm which could also be utilized to activate a water sprinkler system.

A further object of this invention is to provide a combined fire and smoke alarm which utilizes a photoelectric cell assembly to detect the presence of smoke.

A further object of this invention is to provide a combined fire and smoke alarm which will continue to detect the presence of excessive heat during times of power failure.

A further object of this invention is to provide a combined fire and smoke alarm which is electrical and which may be powered by an ordinary household Wiring circuit.

A further object of this invention is to provide a combined fire and smoke alarm which is economical of manufacture, durable in use, efiicient in operation, and refined in appearance.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

This invention consists in the construction, arrangements, and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as herein- .after more fully set forth, specifically pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in which:

FIG. 1 is a wiring diagram of the combined fire and smoke alarm;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the device;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the device as seen on line 3-3 of FIG. 2 and wherein the electrical circuit is shown in schematic form;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the relay assembly portion of the device;

FIG. 5 is an end elevational view of seen in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational vie-w of the relay assembly as would be seen on line 6-6 of FIG. 5 illustrating the relationship of the component parts when the smoke detecting means has dc-energized the solenoid; and

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the relay assembly as would be seen on line 6-6 of FIG. 5 illustrating the relationship of the component parts when the solenoid is energized.

the accompanying drawings in the relay assembly 3,447,152 Patented May 27, 1969 The numeral 10 generally designates a cabinet or housing in which the operating instrumentalities of the apparatus of the invention may be fully housed, and, for example, may be composed of wood, metal, plastic, etc. Housing 10 is provided with a back 11, front 13, top 15, bottom '17, and opposite sides 19 and 21. Housing .10 is also provided with an opening 23 in its bottom 17 which communicates with an air sampling chamber generally designated by the reference numeral 25. Air sampling chamber 25 includes a vertically disposed chamber portion 27 which is in communication with opening 23, a horizontal chamber portion 29, a vertically disposed chamber portion 31 and a horizontally disposed chamber portion 33 which is in communication with opening 35 in side 19. Openings 23 and 3-5 are provided with a suitable grill work extending thereover such as is illustrated in FIG. 2.

The numeral 37 designates a light source operatively positioned in chamber portion '31 which is in alignment with chamber portion 29 and adapted to direct a beam at 'a photoelectric receiving eye 39 operatively mounted in the upper end of chamber portion 27 (FIG. 3). Light 37 is connected to a source of electrical power 41 by wires 43 and 45.

The numeral 47 generally designates a relay assembly mounted in cabinet 10. Relay assembly 47 includes an L-shaped frame '49 having a base portion 51 and an upstanding portion 53. A solenoid 55 is operatively mounted on base portion 51 of frame 49 and includes a core 57, the upper end of which is exposed. As best seen in FIG. 4, an armature 59 including a top portion 61 and arm members 63 and 65 extending downwardly from each end thereof is pivotally mounted on the upper end of frame 49 by means of arcuate finger members 67 and 69 extending thereover. Top portion 61 of armature 59 is also provided with a tab portion 71 which extends therefrom over the exposed upper end of core 57.

A switch assembly 73 is mounted on frame 49 and also serves to maintain armature 59 on frame 49. As viewed in FIG. 4, switch assembly 73' includes a switch bolt 75 threadably extending into upstanding portion 53 of frame 49 and receives a metal spacer 77, dielectric spacer 79, switch leaf 81, dielectric spacer '83, armature retainer 8-5 and dielectric spacer 87. It can be seen that switch bolt 75 maintains the above described elements on frame 49. The upper end of armature retainer is provided with a pair of spaced apart arcuate fingers 89 and 91 extending first upwardly therefrom and thence horizontally over finger members 67 and 6 9 respectively on armature 59. The upper end of armature retainer 85 is also provided with an arcuate finger 93 which extends first upwardly and thence upwardly and outwardly under top portion 61 of armature '59 and yieldably resists downward movement of top portion 61 and tab portion 71 with respect to solenoid 55.

\An armature bar 95 is secured to and extends between the lower ends of arm members 63 and 65 of armature 59 and threadably receives an adjusting screw 97 intermediate its length. A V-shaped bimetal strip 99 having side portions 101 and 103 is mounted on adjusting screw 97 by means of adjusting screw 97 extending through the upper end of side portion @101. A bimetal strip retainer 105 is positioned between the head of adjusting screw 97 and one side of side portion .101 while a lock nut 10! is positioned on the other side of side portion 101.

A wire 109 is operatively connected to side portion 101 by soldering or the like (FIG. 4) which extends to a battery 111 which is connected to a bell 113 by wire 115. The upper end of side portion 103 of bimetal strip 99 is provided with a contact point 117 which is secured thereto and which is adapted to engage contact point 1'19 on the lower end of switch leaf 81 at times. A wire 121 is secured to and extends from the upper end of switch leaf 81 to bell 113.

The relay assembly is operatively mounted in cabinet so that bimetal strip 99 extends downwardly into chamber portion 27 (FIG. 3). As best seen in FIG. 3, an adjustable armature stop means 123 is provided in cabinet 10 to prevent armature 59 from pivoting during times of power failure as will be described later. A wire 125 is operatively connected to solenoid 55 and extends to receving eye 39 which in turn is connected to the negative terminal of a power source 129 by means of wire 127. A Wire 131 is operatively connected to solenoid 55 and extends to the positive terminal at power source 129. Armature bar 95 is constructed of a dielectric material.

The normal method of operation is as follows. The device will be normally installed on a wall adjacent the ceiling of a room. The solenoid '55 and receiving eye 39 are energized by wires 127 and 131 being operatively connected to the power source 129. Light 37 is energized by connecting wires 43 and 45 to the source of electrical power 41. Photoelectric receiving eye 39 has a normally open circuit which becomes closed upon light 37 directing a beam thereinto. The energization of solenoid 55 causes core 57 to exert an electromagnetic force on tab portion 71 to draw tab portion 71 thereagainst as best seen in FIG. 7. The downward movements of tab portion 71 into contact with the upper end of core 57 causes the lower ends of arm members 63 and 65 to be pivoted outwardly away from switch assembly 47 to break the contact between points 117 and 119 (FIG. 7). Thus, bell 113 Will be inoperative unitl a circuit therethrough is established.

Light 37 produces a substantial amount of heat which causes the air in chamber portion 31 to rise and pass outwardly of opening which causes air to be drawn in through opening 23 into chamber portion 27 and thence into chamber portion 29. Light 37 causes a continual flow of air through air sampling chamber 25 due to the flue action created by light 37. Thus, a great deal of air within the room is circulated through the cabinet to be sampled by the sensing mechanisms therein. If smoke becomes present in the room where the device is installed, the smoke will be drawn into air sampling chamber 25 and caused to be passed between light 37 and receiving eye 39. When the smoke passes between light 37 and receiving eye 39, the beam of light directed at receiving eye 39 will be interrupted and the circuit within receiving eye 39 will become broken which will cause solenoid 55 to become de-energized. When solenoid 55 is de-energized, tab portion 71 on armature 55 is no longer attracted thereto and the armature 59 will pivot to the position seen in FIG. 6 due to the arcuate finger 93 exerting upward force on tab portion 71. When armature 59 pivots to the position seen in FIG. 6, contact points 117 and 119 will engage each other thereby completing a circuit through hell 113 which will then become activated to one of the presence of smoke.

If a fire should start in the area served by the device, the bimetal strip 99 will sense the increase in a temperature of air being sampled in sampling chamber 25. An increase in the air temperature will cause side portion 103 to be moved towards switch leaf 81 until contact points 117 and 119 close. The closing of contact points 117 and 119 create a circuit through alarm 113 which is then activated to warn of the fire or excessive heat. Bimetal strip 99 can be adjusted to complete the circuit through alarm 13 for various temperatures by means of adjusting screw 97.

If a power failure should be experienced, alarm 113 would be activated due to solenoid 55 being de-energized which would cause armature 59 to close contact points 117 and 119. If the power failure is to be experienced for y eng h of t e i is re ommended that armature stop means 123 be threadably moved downwardly to force tab portion 71 into engagement with core 57 or until contact points 117 and 119 are disengaged to stop the ringing of the bell. The device will then still function to sense eX- cessive heat during times of power failure but will not sense smoke.

While the device has been described as being sensitive to fire and smoke, the device can be easily modified to detect the presence of gas, pressure, humidity, etc.

The device could also be used to activate other warning systems such as a water sprinkling system rather than bell 113, or other warning systems.

Thus it can be seen that an extremely efficient means has been provided for detecting the presence of fire and smoke. The device is extremely efiicient in operation and insures that a sufficient amount of air will be sampled to quickly detect the presence of smoke and fire.

Therefore, it can be seen that the device accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.

I claim:

1. In a circuit actuating device,

a frame means,

an armature pivotally mounted on said frame means and having an upper portion and a lower portion,

a solenoid operatively connected to a power source and being mounted on said frame means below said top portion of said armature and adapted to pivot said armature when said solenoid is energized,

a first switch contact operatively mounted on said frame means and being insulated therefrom,

a heat sensing means operatively connected to the lower portion of said armature and having a second switch contact mounted thereon, said heat sensing means adapted to move said second switch contact into engagement with said first switch contact when said heat sensing means is exposed to a predetermined amount of heat,

said armature being adapted to cause the engagement of said first and second switch contacts when said solenoid is de-energized,

said solenoid being operatively connected to a smoke sensing means which de-energizes said solenoid when a predetermined amount of smoke is sensed,

and a circuit which is actuated by the engagement of said first and second switch contacts.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said heat sensing means includes a bimetal strip.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said smoke sensing means includes a photoelectric eye means.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein said bimetal strip has an adjustable means operatively connected thereto to permit said bimetal strip to be selectively adjusted to be responsive to a predetermined amount of heat.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein said circuit includes a sound producing means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,255,441 6/1966 Goodwin et al. 34()-228 X 38,074- 3/ 1863 Whiting 340220.1 336,773 2/1886 Weil 340-2.35 350,388 10/1886 Perry 340237 FOREIGN PATENTS 709,436 8/ 1931 France.

JOHN W. CALDWELL, Primary Examiner.

D. L. TRAFTON, Assistant Examiner.

US. 01. X.R. 

